Digital Trends

Sony Playstation 3

November 15th, 2006 | by Scott Steinberg

Setup and Use

Actual system navigation will be instantly familiar to anyone who owns a PSP, as a similar drop-down "cross menu bar" interface is used. Employing it, one can easily play discs inserted into the machine, create striking photo slideshows, enjoy a little music, manage game saves, create user profiles and configure network settings. Even things as seemingly foreign to set-top console users – or maybe just those who don't own an Xbox 360 yet – as system updates, customizable video settings, interactive end-user agreements and Bluetooth connectivity are made simple to deal with courtesy of on-screen prompts and explanations. The machine had no trouble finding my home wireless network either, and supports encryption so I needn't fear unwanted intrusions by hackers or other virtual miscreants.

You'll be manipulating most everything through the SixAxis controller, of which as many as seven can be supported at one time, capable of interacting wirelessly with the unit from distances up to 65 feet. (Wired access is available, though you'll be sitting pretty darned close to the TV using the ultra-short prepackaged cable.) While the pads strangely lack rumble (vibration) capability, and aren't nearly as sensitive or versatile as those found on Nintendo's Wii, they do feel responsive and comfortable to the touch. Capable of lasting 30 hours on a single charge, PlayStation 2 owners will immediately recognize their shape and feel, given a close resemblance to said system's own controllers.

The ability to control objects on a 3D, six-axis (left, right, back, forward, up, down) movement plane is, of course, the biggest enhancement, but a centrally-situated PS button (used to quit back to the main system menu, check battery power, shut down remotely, etc.) that operates like the giant X on the 360 pad is also a plus. The L2 and R2 buttons are also bigger, and feel more like gun triggers in your hands. Using gesture-tracking capabilities to cause samurai to twirl and tumble acrobatically or pro ballplayers to shuck and jive feels more like a cool add-on than integral system addition. But as more games such as dragon-flight combat simulator Lair – wherein you can swoop around spitting fireballs and sci-fi shooter Warhawk, which sees enthusiasts take direct control of soaring spaceships – launch, it's a cinch we'll soon enjoy even neater, and more meaningful, applications. Oh, and try not to choke: They're actually asking $49.99 (the same price you could buy an entire 360 or Wii game for, and then some) for a controller.

The Playstation 3 controller

But what about the most important part – the games themselves? Well, right now, they're sitting around a B+ level of general quality, thanks to the fact few first-run outings made the system's launch. To be frank, of the ones which did ship – first-person blaster Resistance: Fall of Man, rubber-burner Ridge Racer 7, giant robot-homage Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire, arcade outing Sonic the Hedgehog, fantasy role-player Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom and sword-slashing Asian adventure Genji: Days of the Blade – none stand out as killer apps. That's not to say you won't be wowed. (The amount of on-screen activity in Resistance, for example, or level of painstakingly-rendered detail on Genji's special effects is absolutely impossible to achieve with the 40X-more-powerful-than-PS2 system's ballyhooed multi-core Cell processor and NVIDIA-built RSX graphics chip.) However, even between a slew of beefed up ports (Rainbow Six: Vegas, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07, etc.) and soon-to-be-launching high-profile sequels, e.g. Full Auto 2, there's nothing here that absolutely screams "buy me" to the tune $60 per title, let alone the initial $500-$600 price of admission. Most end-users will probably find just as much eye-popping fare for cheaper on the Xbox 360.

A Couple Playstation 3 games